Home Care License in Arkansas

Choose a name for your home care business that makes sense. A common issue with starting a home care business and getting it licensed is the choice in name. If you use words that relate to medical terminology it can hurt your ability to market and give consumers the wrong opinion about what services, your home care business is offering and can offer. Transparency is the best marketing strategy for your Arkansas home care business. Be clear and concise on what you are trying to convey to the consumer (i.e. Using words like Health or Medical or services such as nursing or therapies). This can also cause issues with licensing your home care business further down the line and depicts that your business is not what it seems (Home Care and Home Health Care are not the same – If you would like to learn more about starting an Arkansas home health care business or would like to know the difference between the two, call us today for more information.)

Make it unique! The constantly growing home care market is saturated with common names that use words such as: always, best, caring, first, and hands (to name a few). There are other barriers that can also prevent you from registering your name.  As with many great ideas, there is a chance someone thought of it first. Names that are matching other business names cannot be registered and names that are too alike can also be rejected. Researching to see if the name is available is always required and this is done with a search on the Arkansas Secretary of State website.

Deciding the best option for your home care business taxation is a huge decision. People often work with consulting firms, attorneys, or accountants to best suit the needs of the home care business. The way you register your home care business will also determine filing fees and other annual costs that will be required to make sure your home care business stays in good standing.

Create a brightly lit path that can help you pave the way to success by knowing the ins and outs of what to expect when your dream becomes your reality. Otherwise, it may turn into a nightmare. Researching the market and determining that there is a need for your type of home care business can seem overwhelming. That’s when utilizing an Arkansas home care business consultant might become a good idea.

There are many barriers to entry. The owners of the agency must be able to pass a background check. There are fees associated with the formation of the Agency and licensing. Researching the census and local competition in Arkansas is very important. Determining your pay sources are important as well as there are Medicaid Programs available for Arkansas, determining referral sources, etc. Furthermore, your home care business must have enough capital to get the business started and run it for at least 6 months.

Secretary of State Formation, Employer Identification Number, State Tax ID, and a National Provider Identification number will be needed to get your home care business started. You will need a tangible address to start the agency (P.O. Boxes are not acceptable). This is where a little help from a home care business consultant will come in handy.  We do all of this for you. 

The State of Arkansas requires the following for home care licensure in Arkansas:

The State of Arkansas requires that the business be covered by both General/Professional liability and Workman’s Compensation to operate. Please give us a call to learn more. 

To start your home care business, you will need to apply for your home care license in Arkansas. A home care license is also known as a Private Care Agency license. A home care license application will need to be compiled and submitted with a $1,000 fee to the state.  Initial Licensure application review can take up to 3 months for initial review. Once the application is approved HFS will contact the Agency for a policy review. A one (1) Year license is granted if the agency passes the on-site survey. Let us take the stress off handling this long and complicated process with our team of professionals.

Researching the Arkansas regulations is a must when starting this process of applying for your home care license in Arkansas. A Registered Nurse supervisor who is a licensed RN in the state of Arkansas will be needed to oversee the aides. Arkansas also requires an Administrator and Alternately qualified individual to run the home care business. This person who is an agency employee and is a physician, registered nurse, or an individual with at least one year of supervisory or administrative experience in home health care or in related health provider programs will be needed to manage the agency. The administrator and supervising nurse may be the same individual.  All staff and owners must be able to pass a Criminal Background Check. 

The Home Care License is not permanent in the state of Arkansas but there is an annual renewal process to keep the status of the license active. This is not an easy task, professional assistance will most likely be required to navigate the process and keep the business running smoothly. Our home care license and home care business startup consultants can help. Call us today. 

The county or township may have specific requirements that need to be met with an application for a local license to conduct business in that area. Having an optimal location and the proper office set is important. Make sure all the proper licenses are in a conspicuous area.

Your home care business will need staff to open its doors and in the case of Arkansas the key staff/managers need to be identified in the initial application process. Hiring the staff and making sure they get paid is an important part of starting your home care business. This process can be done by the home care business owners or a professional equipped to handle these situations. The state of Arkansas has very specific laws associated with being an employer. This can make or break the agency if they do not follow the letter of the law.